Clothesline tightener



Aug. 15, 1939. u. A. HUBERTY CLOTHESLINE TIGHTENER Filed April 25, 1938 Patented Aug. 15, 1939 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

This invention relates to a clothesline tightener and one object of the invention is to provide a device by means of which a clothesline trained about pulleys may have its end portions connected and thus form a substantially endless clothesline which may be tightly stretched and firmly held after being tightened.

Another object of the invention is to so form the clothesline tightener that one end of a clothesline may be tied through an eye at one end of the device and the other end portion of the clothesline then engaged about a pulley wheel forming an element of the device and pull exerted upon the clothesline to tighten the same, means being provided for firmly securing the last-mentioned end portion of the clothesline and maintaining the clothesline in its tightened or stretched condition.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character having means for guiding the clothesline during the tightening operation and. preventing the clothesline from slipping out of engagement with the pulley wheel.

Another object of the invention is to provide the device with improved means for forming a plurality of clamping jaws adapted to have wedging grip with the tightened clothesline and prevent slippage.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which is of simplified construction and Very strong.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a view in elevation showing the improved clothesline tightener in use,

Figure 2 is a view upon an enlarged scale showing the improved clothesline tightener in elevation,

Figure 3 is a View looking down upon Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken transversely through the clothesline tightener along the line 44 of Figure 2,

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 2, and

Figure 6 is a side elevation showing the clothesline tightener in use.

The clothesline l with which this improved tightener is used may be formed of rope, flexible wire or any other desired material and is. trained about pulleys 2 carried by hooks 3 which are screwed into posts or other suitable supports. This is a conventional form of clothesline and when end portions of the clothesline are connected with each other there is provided an endless clothesline which is trained about the pulleys 2 and may be shifted longitudinally between the pulleys and thus permit clothes to be applied to or removed from one flight of the clothesline v while standing at one end thereof. 5

The clothesline tightener includes in its construction a yoke or. body 4 which is formed of strong metal rod, the rod being bent to form an eye 5 through which one end of the clothesline is tied, as shown at 6. the eye in diverging relation to each other and the arms are then bent to form portions 9 and I I] which are parallel to each other, the arms being then bent to provide converging portions I l and i2. mates in close proximity to the corresponding portion ll of the arm 1 but the arm I is of greater length than the arm 8 and at the outer extremity of its portion H is bent laterally to form a hook or guide [3 through which the clothesline passes. 20

In order to brace the arms of the yoke and'also firmly secure rods l4 and i5, there has been provided a clamping plate or bridle l6 formed from a strip of strong sheet metal which extends transversely of the yoke between and across the 25 parallel intermediate portions 9 and ID of the arms I and 8 and has its end portion bent to form fiat loops or tubular portions I! through which the rods l4 and I5 and the intermediate portions of the arm extend. The loops or tubular portions terminate in fiat lips l8 to bear against the plate l6 between the arms of the yoke and these lips are overlapped by diametrically opposed portions of a washer 19 which fits about a bolt 26. opening formed in the plate between the lips l8 and carries a nut 2! which, when tightened, applies pressure to the'washer and causes the lips to be held firmly against the plate and the rods I 4 and i5 and intermediate portions of the arm to be firmly gripped within the sleeve. A spacer sleeve 22 fits about the bolt between the head 23 thereof and the outer face of the plate 16, and together with the bolt forms a spindle about which is disposed a metal pulley wheel 24 which 4-5 turns freely. It will thus be seen that after one end of the clothesline has been tied through the eye 5 the other end portion of the clothesline may be engaged through the guide l3 and then engaged about the pulley wheel and pull exerted to tighten the clothesline. The rods 14 and 15 extend parallel to the intermediate portions 9 and E0 of the arms 1 and 8 in close contacting engagement therewith, and. end portions of the rods project from opposite ends of the sleeves l1 and Arms 1 and 8 extend from 10 1 The free end portion l2 of the arm 8 termi- 15*.

The bolt 20 passes through an together with the diagonally extending portions I, 8, II and I2 of the arms form companion jaws between which portions of the clothesline may have wedging fit and be very tightly gripped to hold the clothesline in its tightened condition.

When'this clothesline tightener is in use, the

, clothesline is first engaged with the pulleys 2 and one end of the clothesline then tied through the eye 5. The other end portion of the clothesline is then engaged through the guide l3 and trained about the pulley 24, after which pull is exerted upon this end portion of the clothesline to tighten the clothesline. After the clothesline has been tightened as much as desired, the free end portion ofthe clothesline will be drawn between one set of jaws which may consist of the diagonally extending portion I2 of the yoke arm and an end portion of the rod I5. After the clothesline has been tightly wedged between the jaws, it may be engaged with the jaws formed by the arm 8 and the opposite end portion of the rod 55; Therefore, the end portion of the clothesline upon which pull is exerted to tighten the clothesline will be gripped at two points and will not be liable to slip loose. It will be obvious that in case the clothesline is trained about the pulley 2 in a direction opposite from that shown in Figure 2 the free end portion of the clothesline will be engaged with the jaws formed by the rod [4 and thediagonally extending portion of the arm 1. It will also be obvious that, if so desired, the

clothesline after being engaged between the rods I5 and the diagonally extending jaw 52 may be extended diagonally across the device and engage between the jaw and the rearwardly extending portion of the rod 14. It will also be obvious that after being engaged with the jaws formed by end portions of the rod and the diagonally extending portions of the jaw 8 the free end of the line may be extended forwardly diagonally across the line tightener and thenengaged with the front and rear jaws formed by the end portions of the rod l4 and the diagonally extending portions of the arm I. When it is desired to remove the clothesline or stretchingof 'the line necessitates retightening thereof, it is merely necessary to release the clothesline from the jaws between which it has wedging fit and afterexerting pull to tighten the line again ongage portions thereof with the jaws. Of course, if the line is to be removed, it will be disengaged from the pulley Wheel after being released from the gripping jaws and the line may then be released from the guide l3 and drawn through the pulleys 2.

Instead of using the improved tightener as means for tightly stretching an endless clothesline trained about two pulleys, it may be used for stretching and tightly securing one end of a single clothesline. Such use of the device is illustrated in Figure 6, and referring to this figure, it will be seen that the eye'5 is engaged with ahook 25 carried by a post or other support The clothesline is tied at one end to apost or other suitable support, not shown, and its free end then passed through the guide l3 and engaged: with the pulley wheel 24 of the tightener, after which the line is drawn tight and secured as previously described. When it is desired to remove the clothesline, it is merely necessary to release the line from the tightener which may be left in engagement with the hook 25 or removed therefrom and put away until again needed.

It will thus be seen that the clothesline tightenerv may be used either as means for stretching and securing an endless clothesline or as means for stretching and detachably securing one end of a single clothesline.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

l. A clothesline tightener comprising a yoke having an eye at one end and arms extending from the eye, the arms having horizontally disposed parallel intermediate portions and diagonally disposed inner and outer portions, one arm being of greater length than the other and having at its outer end U-shaped guide disposed in straddling relation to the free end of the other arm, a bracing plate extending transversely of said yoke between the parallel intermediate portions thereof and having loops at its end engaged about the arm, rods extending through said loops between the arms and outer portions of said,

loops and having front and rear end portions projecting from the loops and cooperating with the diagonally extending inner and outer portions of said arms to form front and rear clamps having jaws converging toward ends of the loops, a securing bolt passed through said plate between the loops, a washer about said bolt overlapping inner end portions of the loops, a securing nut threaded upon said bolt for engaging said washer and when tightened causing inner end portions of the loops to be gripped between the plate and washer, a spacing sleeve about said bolt between the head thereof and said plate, and a pulley wheel rotatably mounted about said sleeve.

2. A clothesline tightener comprising a yoke having longitudinally extending arms and an eye at its rear end connecting the arms, a guide carried by one arm at the front end of the yoke and extending towards the other arm, a bracing plate extending transversely of said yoke intermediate the length thereof and provided with loops at its opposite sides through which said arms extend, rods extending through said loops between the arms and outer portions of the loops and having end portions projecting from front and rear ends of the loops and cooperating with said arm to form front and rear rope-engaging one end provided with a clothesline guide and its other end adapted to have a support engaged therethrough, rods mounted longitudinally of said body at opposite sides thereof and having front and rear end portions spaced laterally from said arms and cooperating with the arms to form front and rear rope-engaging clamps having jaws diverging toward free ends of the rods, and a pulley wheel rotatably mounted at one side of the body and located substantially between the arms and in cooperating relation to the rope-engaging clamps. V

4. A clothesline tightener comprising an elongated body having one end adapted .to have a clothesline or mounting member secured thereto and its other end provided with a line-engaging guide, upper and lower jaws intermediate the length of said body disposed at opposite sides of the body and constituting frontand rear jaws, a spindle extending laterally from said body intermediate the width thereof and located between the jaws, and a pulley wheel rotatably mounted about said spindle.

5. A clothesline tightener comprising an elongated body having one end provided with a lineengaging eye and its other end adapted to have a clothesline or supporting hook connected therewith, a line-engaging pulley wheel rotatably mounted midway the length of said body, and line-engaging clamps carried by said body and located forwardly and rearwardly of said pulley wheel.

6. A clothesline tightener comprising a body having longitudinally extending arms and at one end being adapted to have a clothesline or supporting hook engaged therewith, a pulley wheel rotatably mounted intermediate the length of said body, and rods mounted longitudinally of the body and cooperating with the side arms thereof to form clothesline engaging clamps located forwardly and rearwardly of the pulley whereby an end portion of said clothesline may be secured after being engaged about the pulley wheel and 1 tightened.

OLIVER A. HUBERTY. 

